Apparatus for finishing the ends of hollow clay articles preparatory to drying and firing.



G. E. GOLDNER.

APPARATUS FOR FINISHING THE ENDS OF HOLLOW CLAY ARTICLES PREPARATORY T0 DRYING AND FIRING.

APPLIOATION FILED EBB. 12,1913.

Patented Feb. 16, 1915.

Snow Ito;

. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE; E. GOLDNER, OF FORT DODGE, IOWA.

APPARATUS FOR FINISHING THE ENDS OF HOLLOW CLAY ARTICLES PREPARATORY TO DRYING AND FIRING.

Application filed February 12, 1913.

Tor/ZZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE E. GoLDNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort Dodge, in the county of Webster and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Apparatus for Finishing the Ends of H01- low Clay Articles Preparatory to Drying and Firing, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in and relating to apparatus for finishing the ends of hollow clay articles preparatory to drying and firing; and the objects and nature of the invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art in the light of the following explanation of the accompanying drawing illustrating what I now believe to be the preferred mechanical expression of my invention from among other formations, constructions and arrangements within the spirit and scope of my invention and that might be employed in carrying out my method.

An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for and method of fin shing the end edges of green hollow blocks, tiles or the like, that are left rough by the cutting off wires or other devices for severing the hollow clay bar into sections, while such hollow soft or green sections are in transit from the cutting olf devices to the cars on which said sections are delivered to the drier preparatory to firing or burning. D

A further object of the invention is to finish and simultaneously press mortar-key forming grooves in the end edges of green or soft clay hollow blocks, tiles or the like, after such blocks or tiles have been severed from the clay bar emerging from the die of a suitable machine and before said blocks or tiles have been dried preparatory to firing.

A further object of the invention is to provide an off-bearing belt adapted to receive green or soft clay hollow blocks or tiles from a cutting oif device and convey the same to the cars or other means for delivering said blocks or tiles to a drier for drying preparatory to firing, with means for smoothing and finishing end edges of such blocks or tiles.

The invention consists in certain novel features in construction and in combinations and arrangements and in, an mproved Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 16, 1915.

Serial No. 748,020.

method capable of being practised by such apparatus among others.

Referring to the accompanying draw- 1ngs:-F1gure 1, diagrammatically illustrates an off-bearing conveyer equipped in accordance with my invention, a green tile being shown thereon with a portable handmanipulated finishing cup or mold applied to the upper end thereof, several other green tiles being indicated on said conveyer by dotted lines. Fig. 2, is a detail plan view of the working face of either a hand-manipulated cup or one of the cups attached to the conveyer. Fig. 3, is a detail perspective of a hollow tile building block showing the end edge formation produced by said mold or cup. Fig. 4, is a detail cross section on the line M, Fig. 2. Fig. 5, is a cross section with a cup or mold particularly designed to finish the ends of hollow clay pipe or drain tile sections. Fig. 6, is a detail section showing the ends of a pair of building blocks of the construction of Fig. 8, joined by a cement or mortar joint.

Hollow tiles, building blocks and the like, are usually formed by cutting the soft clay bar issuing from the die of a suitable ma chine into sections of the proper length by cutting apparatus usually embodying cutting wires. These soft or green sections are then placed or deposited on an off-bearing belt or conveyer that carries them to the point where the cars to convey said green sections to the drier are loaded. After drying said sections are fired or burned, as those versed in the art will understand. The off bearing belt or conveyer, usually consists of a comparatively wide flexible endless traveling belt having its top ply arranged fiat and horizontally to receive the green sections from the cutting apparatus and support and carry them to a point from which the operators can easily remove said sections from the belt and place them on the drier or other cars. The end edges of the soft clay or green sections are left ragged, rough and uneven by the action of the cutting wires, and if the sections are left with their edges in this condition and are thus dried and fired. the resulting fired product will be unsightly, defective and unsatisfactory. I have devised improved hollow building blocks and tiles having mortar receiving grooves sunk in their end edges so that giaving the finishing groove I, with a flat oor.

Other apparatus might be employed to carry out my improved method, and changes, variations, and modifications might be resorted to in the forms, constructions and arrangements described without departing from the the spirit and scope of my in vention, and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the exact disclosures hereof.

What I claim is 1. In an apparatus for finishing the ends of green hollow or tubular clay tiles and blocks, a traveling conveyer provided with and carrying a series of tile or block supporting cups arranged longitudinally and exteriorly thereof, and each provided with a tile or block end receiving and finishing socket, each cup adapted to carry a green tile or block while being transported in a vertical position by the conveyer with its lower end fitted to the cup, in combination with molding means for applying variable manuallycontrolled molding pressure downwardly on the upper end of each green tile or mold while traveling with said conveyer.

2. In an apparatus for finishing the ends of green hollow or tubular clay blocks and tiles, a traveling conveyer provided with a longitudinal series of molds traveling therewith and each at its outer face formed to receive and shape an'end of a green hollow article, and a portable or hand mold of approximately similar formation to receive and shape the other end of such article.

3. Means for finishing the ends of green clay blocks and the like, comprising a traveling block-end-finishing cup formed to receive and finish the lower end of a vertical tile or block being transported on said cup, in combination with manually-controlled finishing means for application to the upper end of said tile to finish the same while being transported in said vertical position.

4. In apparatus for the purposes substantially as described, in combination, means to transport green clay blocks and the like in a vertical position comprising a block-endfinishing cup in which the lower end of the block fits and by which it is finished, and a manually-controlled block-end-finishing cup for application to the upper end of said vertical block to finish the same while being transported by said means.

5. In apparatus for the purposes substantially as described, an ofi'-bearing conveyer provided with green clay block end finishing cups, in combination with a hand-controlled block-end-finishing cup for application to the free end of a block having one end seated in a cup of the conveyer.

6. Apparatus for finishing and forming mortar receiving grooves in the end edges of green clay hollow blocks and tiles, comprising means for transporting said blocks or tiles while maintaining the same in vertical position, said means embodying tile or block-end-finishing-and-groove-forming cups in which the lower ends of the blocks or tiles fit, and tile or block end finishingand-groove-forming means for applying variable manually controlled finishing and molding pressure downwardly on the upper end of each tile or block while being transported.

7. In apparatus for finishing the ends of green clay hollow or tubular blocks and tiles, means for transporting hollow green articles in vertical position embodying a mold formed to receive and shape the lower end of a hollow green article, in combination with a hand applied mold of approximately similar formation to receive and shape the upper end of such article.

8. Traveling means adapted to receive hollow green clay blocks and the like from cutting off mechanism and to transport said blocks in vertical position, said means embodying devices to receive and finish the lower ends of such blocks while resting thereon and being transported thereby, in combination with manually controlled means for application to the upper ends of said blocks while being transported by said traveling means for finishing the upper ends of the blocks.

9. A horizontally disposed ofi -bearing conveyer adapted to receive and transport hollow green clay blocks and the like in vertical position and formed to finish the lower ends of blocks resting on the conveyer by the downward pressure of the blocks thereon, in combination with manually controlled means for finishing the upper ends of said blocks while said blocks are being transported by said conveyer.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE E. GOLDNER.

Witnesses:

H. S. VINCENT, M. M. J OYCE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

